(A) The director may extend the limits of the place of confinement of a prisoner, where there is reasonable cause to believe he will honor his trust, by authorizing him, under prescribed conditions, to leave the confines of that place unaccompanied by a custodial agent for a prescribed period of time to:
(1) contact prospective employers;
(2) secure a suitable residence for use when released on parole or upon discharge;
(3) obtain medical services not otherwise available;
(4) participate in a training program in the community or any other compelling reason consistent with the public interest;
(5) visit a spouse, child (including stepchild, adopted child, or child as to whom the prisoner, though not a natural parent, has acted in the place of a parent), parent (including a person, though not a natural parent, who has acted in the place of a parent), brother, or sister.
(B) The director may extend the limits of the place of confinement of a terminally ill inmate for an indefinite length of time when there is reasonable cause to believe that the inmate will honor his trust.
(C) The wilful failure of a prisoner to remain within the extended limits of his confinement or return within the time prescribed to the places of confinement designated by the director is considered an escape from the custody of the director punishable as provided in Section 24-13-410.
(D) The director may not extend the benefits of this section to a person convicted of a violent crime as defined in Section 16-1-60 unless all of the following persons recommend in writing that the offender be allowed to participate in the furlough program in the community where the offense was committed:
(1) in those cases where, as applicable, the victim of the crime for which the offender is charged, or the relatives of the victim who have applied for notification pursuant to the provisions of Article 15, Chapter 3, Title 16 if the victim has died;
(2) the law enforcement agency which employed the arresting officer of the offender; and
(3) the solicitor in whose circuit the offender was convicted.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-303.1; 1967 (55) 290; 1980 Act No. 414; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 408; 1994 Act No. 477, Section 1; 2017 Act No. 49 (S.271), Section 2, eff May 19, 2017.
Effect of Amendment
2017 Act No. 49, Section 2, in (A)(5), deleted "or attend the funeral of" following "visit".